As more sites are visited by rescuers the death toll from this weekends tsunamis is expected to pass 50,000.

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) - Mourners in Sri Lanka used their bare hands to dig graves Tuesday while hungry islanders in Indonesia turned to looting in the aftermath of Asia's devastating tsunamis. Thousands more bodies were found in Indonesia, dramatically increasing the death toll across 11 nations to around 44,000.

Emergency workers who reached Aceh province at the northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island found that 10,000 people had been killed in a single town, Meulaboh, said Purnomo Sidik, national disaster director at the Social Affairs Ministry.

Another 9,000 were confirmed dead so far in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, and surrounding towns, he said. Soldiers and volunteers combed seaside districts and dug into rubble of destroyed houses to seek survivors and retrieve the dead amid unconfirmed reports that other towns along Aceh's west coast had been demolished.

More than 18,700 people died in Sri Lanka, more than 4,000 in India and more than 1,500 in Thailand, with numbers expected to rise. The Indonesian vice president's estimate that his country's coastlines held up to 25,000 victims would bring the potential toll up to 50,000.

One organization you might want to steer clear of is, ironically, the United Nations. You're better off making donations through the Red Cross by calling 1-800-HELP-NOW or by picking the International Response Fund on their donation page.

Egeland's most cutting and nutty comments were directed at the US, which is providing the most direct aid as of this morning, $15 million, as compared to the $4 million put forward by the EU - a group comprising such luminaries as France, Germany, Spain, and Belgium. That's right - all those so called morally superior nations couldn't even pony up $4 million per nation, and have instead gathered all of $4 million in total.

Meanwhile, the US Navy and military is already conducting SAR and assisting in airlifting supplies. Where's the EU military force to conduct similar operations [built in sarcasm as no such EU military capability currently exists and instead relies upon US capabilities, even in places close to home like Kosovo.]

I think the EU amount was $46million not $4mil :) Anyway, I can see I really should just trackback to this and about 10 other posts but can't be bothered.
The US $15mil is about 2hours of funding for the War on Terror - based on it receving $80,000 million next year.
Or another way it is 1/1000,000 of the US economy.

It is stingy. Do not defend it by attacking the EU. Jan Egeland criticised ALL Western nations, not just the US.

The initial commitment by the EU was 3 million euros. They have now kicked in another 30 million euros.

The criticisms I hear directed at the US are the same old B.S. from the left. You people lost all credibility years ago. And Monjo, how much have you personally given to the relief effort? If it is so important, shut up and give. If you have already made a donation, give more.

The tsunami has devastated Sri Lanka - also affected are Sri Lankans with disabilities.

Ten of thousands of Sri Lankans have died and thousands more will die through disease - Sri Lanka urgently needs doctors and medicine from overseas to cope with outbreaks of typhoid, dysentery, cholera.

The Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka are not collecting money ourselves but we are working with partners all over the world to reach out to all Sri Lankans including the disability community who have been affected so badly by this deadly tsunami which struck the island on the 26th of December 2004 and has caused so much devastation.

The Sri Lanka High Commission in London have appealed for donations of the above and donors can take these items to the Sri Lanka High Commission at 13 Hyde Park Gardens, London W2 2LU. Those who wish to contribute may contact Mr.Y.G.Amaradasa (Administration) of the Sri Lanka High Commission in London. He could be contacted on the telephone: 020 7262 6721/020 7262 1841 extension 225, Fax: 020 7262 7970 and on e-mail: [email protected]

With regard to the rapid conveyance of drugs and items such as water purification tablets and intravenous infusions, the Sri Lanka High Commission are exploring the possibility of facilitating airlifting these items through SriLankan Airlines to Colombo but please inform the Sri Lanka High Commission the full details of these drugs before and during delivery.

You can send donations to the Rotary Club of Colombo - the Autism Awareness Campaign Sri Lanka are working in partnership with the Rotary Club, a well respected international organisation who have teams working in the diaster areas.

The Rotary Club of Colombo Regency, plans to implement the relief effort in phases in order for it to be effective.

The immediate need is for water and dry food items like biscuits, and canned fish, as displaced people are unable to cook meals just yet. In addition, basic medicines and clothing are also essential.

The second phase in a few days will be to provide dry rations, milk powder etc. as hopefully by that time people would have been moved into refugee camps.

The third phase (5 to 7 days) would be to conduct health camps to prevent/treat any outbreak in disease caused by polluted water and lack of proper sanitation etc at the refugee camps.

In the longer term, rebuilding of life and property would take an enormous effort and would need worldwide help.

For items sent from overseas, The Rotary Club have arranged for duty waivers. Please make sure that you specify the beneficiary as the "Rotary Club of Colombo Regency", c/o Bary Jaleel, 15 Cambridge Place, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka.

However, send an email The Rotary Club with your full name, contact details and your contribution amounts and modes, so that they could keep a track. You can also log onto http://www.lankafood.com/ and select the items you would like to sponsor, and pay for on line. Details of items needed and their rates will be published on this site.

Sri Lanka desperately needs help. They say the island needs 1 billion pounds to cope with this terrible disaster. Whole communities have been wiped out. Schools and homes have been devastated and scores of little Sri Lankans have perished. Please support Sri Lanka in her hour of need.